Christopher J. Dwyer, Author at The Future of Work Exchange

The Many Extensions of the Future of Work

Business Leadership Direct Sourcing Podcast Talent by Christopher J. Dwyer on 09/07/2022

The Future of Work Exchange podcast features coverage of industry news, software developments, Future of Work happenings, and, most importantly, conversations with industry thought leaders.

The Season Seven premiere of the Future of Work Exchange Podcast, sponsored by Beeline, featured in-depth, Future of Work-oriented discussion with Jen Torney, VP of Client Engagement at Talent Solutions TAPFIN, and Brian Hoffmeyer, SVP of Market Strategies at Beeline (click to listen to the full interview).

Today’s article recaps a piece of the podcast discussion focused on several key Future of Work-focused topics. [Note that this excerpt has been edited for readability.]

Christopher Dwyer: We’re going to close things out with what I call the “Future of Work lighting round.” Let’s start with remote work.

Brian Hoffmeyer: Remote work is here to stay. We’re talking to our clients considerably about it and doing several workshops with them about the best way to handle it from a contingent workforce perspective. Because it’s not as easy as saying, “I want to hire from low-cost areas.” What does that really mean? What are the tax implications of doing that? There’s a different tax rate and a lot of complexity behind the scenes to work out. I’m still seeing companies make pretty arbitrary decisions about remote work, saying you have to come in on Tuesdays and Thursdays — when that doesn’t make sense. Companies need to be very purposeful in making these decisions as they go through the process.

Jen Torney: Yes to all of that. I would say this is so much bigger of a conversation than whether or not you’re going back into the office. We’re encouraging organizations to really look at their true workforce plan and strategy. Because this changes everything. It changes how you can hire, where you can hire, and at what cost. It becomes a much bigger holistic conversation around the opportunity to completely rebuild organizations. There is a lot of hybrid work, but it’s very arbitrary in approach. Now that I’ve been back to traveling at a pre-pandemic level, in-person makes a difference. It really does. But I’m not sure that clocking in at eight and leaving at five to fight traffic and get home is really going to be a part of our culture anymore — except when there’s a requirement. There are several smart ways to get work done, and that eight-to-five model doesn’t need to be the model to do that.

CD: Up next: direct sourcing.

JT: Direct sourcing is smart sourcing. We think direct sourcing is blowing up. It is definitely a new layer of workforce strategy. I don’t think this is going to replace traditional staffing, but it has its place in niche areas within our workforce. I’m certainly excited to see how this proliferates in the organizations that we’re working with. The smart sourcing aspect of layering and upskilling is going to be the future.

BH: Just do it. Just do it. I think too many companies are taking too long and overcomplicating things. Pick an area, pick a geography, pick a skillset, and get the right providers together and start somewhere.

CD: Off to the next one: purposeful work.

BH: I love this. We’re in this position in our industry to help people find meaningful employment and to get them the skills they need to improve their lives. That’s the ultimate purpose that I see in what we’re doing. I want to continue to see companies not treat contractors as less than and make them part of the workforce. Yes, there are rules you have to follow, but include them in D&I initiatives and company events.

JT: One of the things we’ve realized as a global society over the course of the pandemic is that it’s critical to be part of something, to feel that you are contributing value, and to be able to show up as your best self. Purposeful work is so important to the younger generations, especially those coming up into the workforce. So, figuring out ways as employers to build that into your culture so that you’re creating an environment for the future leaders to feel it is the right place for them from an employment experience.

CD: Let’s roll into conscious leadership.

JT: Yes, it kind of dovetails. All this focus on D&I has been so amazing because of the evolution of how we’re approaching these conversations around belonging and inclusion and truly showing up as your whole self. It allows for more creative outputs, better collaboration with your team members, and better energy all around. But again, we are shifting and changing how we approach non-employee labor.

I was just with a client last week talking with its DE&I team. Throughout its history, it was focused on the FTE. But going forward, they’re really trying to move the needle on the entire culture of inclusiveness within their organization. The client has 40% contingent labor, and we’re trying to figure out ways to untangle the risk associated with supporting those goals within their contingent labor population, which is unfortunate that we must think that way. However, I think we are breaking down barriers every day in this industry trying to get to a place where we can truly forward the momentum of DE&I for contingent labor, and truly inclusive and conscious leadership for organizations at that stage.

BH: Jen mentioned letting people be their true selves at work and I think that’s incredibly important. Because that’s going to make them feel included and allow them to bring up ideas that give them the space to fail. As leaders, we must do the same thing — show our own vulnerabilities and give people that space. The blending of work and life is going to continue to happen. And that to me is a good thing. Because you don’t want people to be fake, you want them to be who they truly are. While it seems obvious, the world didn’t use to be that way. The more those separate work and home personalities go away, the better.

CD: Crystal ball for the second half of the year into 2023?

BH: With respect to our industry, you’re going to continue to see an emphasis on the worker themselves and giving the worker good experiences because so many people want to work in this way. You know, permanent employment isn’t really a thing. Even if you take a so-called “permanent job,” your tenure is 18 months on average…or even less now. We’re focused on several things around that to make sure the worker can continue to advance their career in the ways they want to. You’re going to see a lot more of that.

JT: With obvious recession concerns, we’re going to continue to see organizations be more cautious. It’s about hiring and making very intentional decisions to get in front of that. There will probably be a curb in the aggressive hiring that we’ve been seeing over the course of this year. And then absolute radical growth in our travel MSP clients. Travel is returning to pre-pandemic levels and certainly out pacing their expectations. There will be some growth there despite the recessionary concerns.

A recession is an economic trend and part of the cycle. It’s going to happen, it’s just a matter of when. This recessionary period will be a bit more interesting for our business because there will be some contraction but also some expansion in certain categories as well.

A “Quiet” Place: The Toxic War Between Workers and Management

Business Leadership Talent by Christopher J. Dwyer on 09/06/2022

I don’t have a TikTok account, but one of my colleagues was nice enough to pass along a video in which a worker confronts a colleague that is in the midst of “quiet quitting” and eating pretzels while sipping a large Starbucks coffee.

“If the company isn’t willing to invest in me, I’m not investing in the company,” said the actress. “Nine-to-five is more than enough for me to give them.” Quiet quitting, at its core, is simply performing a job without going above-and-beyond.

“Quiet firing,” on the other hand, translates into an organization knowingly looking over workers for promotions, ignoring their demands and needs, severe micromanagement, and a wide range of passive aggressive tactics. These ideas are leveraged to “encourage” an employee to quit without the company having to pull the trigger on a firing or layoff.

And in case you’re wondering: TikTok may have reignited these two very toxic notions, but these certainly aren’t new concepts. Quiet quitting and quiet firing are two strategies that have been utilized by workers and management (respectively) for decades.

A worker pumps in over 50 hours a week, investing more of themselves than they’d like, even though there hasn’t been a pay increase in years. They trudge along, unhappy, and hope that salvation is on the horizon. A pandemic hits, emotions swell, and the realization hits: “Why am I doing this?” The worker eases off the gas, puts in the bare minimum, and quietly “quits” while presumably seeking a new role at a different organization.

It’s not such a far-fetched story. And it’s absolutely not a new idea. Nor is quiet firing, for that matter. What these both are, however, are part of a toxic war between the workforce and management that will only get worse if something doesn’t change.

The Great Resignation heralded a shift in “power” that meant workers held more cards when it came to their futures. With millions of professionals voluntarily leaving their jobs every month for well over a year, businesses were left with not only extreme staffing shortages, but a sense of resentment, as well. And now, the negative feelings on both sides are resulting in passive aggressive strategies that are impacting the labor market, as well as the delicate balance between worker and management, in a negative way.

So, the question remains: how do we solve this problem? Is there a cure to quiet quitting? Is there a solution to ensuring that quiet firing does not become a way for leaders to phase out employees?

There is no silver bullet here, nor is there a one-stop strategy that can solve these woes. The truth is that business leaders already have the tools to combat this issue…that is, if they can become conscious leaders that are in tune with their talent.

The hallmarks of conscious leadership, including empathy, the understanding of purpose, communicating value, and prioritizing wellness, are all surefire means to attack the roots of the quiet quitting problem. A business leader that is truly in tune with its team can understand the core causes of the emotions that lead to quiet quitting, particularly burnout, a lack of purpose, and a lack of clarity regarding career development.

And as for quiet firing? It’s been happening for years and management teams must understand that most, if not all, workers desire clarity and communication…especially in a Great Resignation-fueled business arena. Today’s talent must be managed much, much differently than in years past due to Future of Work-driven shifts in how work is optimized.

Honestly, enterprises cannot afford to play the quiet firing game when talent has become such a powerful competitive differentiator. As The Great Resettling plays out and The Great Resignation is in the rear-view, management teams must leverage conscious leadership strategies to understand how the workforce perceives its role within the greater organization.

There is a measure of humanity that is at stake here. Workers want to work and want to succeed, and business leaders only benefit from the value that this success brings. Now is the time to bridge the gap and begin the long process of ending a toxic workplace war that is detrimental to both talent and leadership alike.

The VMS of 2022: The Nexus of Extended Workforce Management

Solution Providers Technology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on 08/25/2022

Vendor Management System (VMS) platforms are automated solutions that offer end-to-end management of the core and critical facets of contingent and extended workforce management. The VMS model (frequently paired with Managed Service Providers or “MSPs”) is perhaps the most mature platform in the workforce solutions market.

While the earliest incarnations of VMS technology functioned as automated procurement for staffing suppliers, these platforms have evolved to become the true “nexus” of all activity related to contingent and extended workforce management. In fact, the very foundational elements of today’s VMS solutions revolve around the many tenets of the Future of Work movement; the Vendor Management Systems available in today’s fast-moving, globalized technology market have all made great leaps in regard to managing the “extended workforce,” a phrase leveraged to describe the next progression of contingent labor.

The past couple of years has reinvigorated the world of non-employee talent in such a way that the collective business market finds itself with nearly half of its total talent (nearly 47%) comprised of contingent labor. The pandemic age has not only reaffirmed the need for businesses to harness the power of VMS technology, but to also take advantage of the many ways these platforms are reinforcing the many accelerants within the Future of Work movement.

Recently, the Future of Work Exchange announced the publication of the much-anticipated VMS Technology Advisor, a report that assesses and evaluates 11 of the major Vendor Management System platforms that are currently helping organizations around the globe automate key extended workforce management processes, provide access to talent intelligence, and reinforce contingent workforce spend management.

The new report, which is available here, evaluates Beeline, Coupa Contingent Workforce, ELEVATE, Eqip, Pixid, Prosperix, PRO Unlimited, SAP Fieldglass, Utmost, VectorVMS, and VNDLY (a Workday Company).

The Five Things Driving the Future of Work (Right Now)

Business Leadership by Christopher J. Dwyer on 08/23/2022

If you take a step back and say the words aloud (like I do dozens of times a day), it seems quite weird: the “Future of Work” is about the future, but it also revolves around the present, right? So, when we discuss the Future of Work, we’re essentially discussing the continuous optimization of work through current progressions and how it will evolve over the coming months and years.

And the most interesting idea around the Future of Work movement is that there are so many attributes of work, talent, technology, and business leadership that serve as real-time accelerants and harbingers of things to come.

Here are the five things the Future of Work Exchange believes are driving this moment today (and will drive tomorrow):

The “human” elements of work and talent. From pandemic-driven anxiety and the desire for more purposeful work, today’s business professionals crave more than just a paycheck. These workers truly require an emotional connect with their work in such a way that it solves both the work-life integration problem and allows them some semblance of flexibility in both their personal and professional lives.
Direct sourcing’s continued impact on talent engagement and talent acquisition. Many large-scale enterprises have begun “reactive layoffs” in anticipation for a possible recession. However, as many news outlets would note, there are more job openings right now than there are job seekers. This weird labor market translates into the need for businesses to harness the power of talent pools, talent communities, and talent clouds to essentially overcome the rigidity of engaging and acquiring talent through traditional means.
The transformation of business leadership. This item has long been a foundational element of the Future of Work movement; however, the way leaders lead has been continually evolving since Day One of the pandemic. There is, of course, the notion of conscious leadership and being in-tune with the workforce. And, on top of that, especially today, business leaders must fuse empathy and flexibility into their strategies. They must contend with the remote vs. in-office conundrum, the specter of a recession, and applying the best talent retention strategies to their talent. Transformation, in this case, isn’t a one-shot alteration.
Artificial intelligence drives decision-making. AI can be considered “vaporware” to some executive leaders, however, many of the prominent solutions in the workforce technology industry provide real-deal AI to help procurement, HR, and talent acquisition leaders understand the best-fit talent for a role, how their workforce will look given current economic trajectories, and support DE&I initiatives, as well as fuel enhanced candidate screening and candidate assessment.
The strategic application of new and innovative work models. Worker-led work structures. Digital collaboration augmented by infrequent in-person meetings. AI-fueled process management. Consumerized capabilities across core enterprise functions. An enhanced hiring manager experience. Developing a path to total talent acquisition (and then, perhaps, total workforce management?). The reimagination of worker productivity. These are all innovative ways of rethinking the boundaries of how work gets done, and, true extensions of the Future of Work movement.

The Future of Work Exchange Podcast, Episode 702: A Conversation with Paul Vincent, Global Head of Services Procurement at Randstad Sourceright

Podcast by Christopher J. Dwyer on 08/17/2022

An all-new episode of the Future of Work Exchange Podcast, sponsored by Beeline, features a conversation with Paul Vincent, Global Head of Services Procurement at Randstad Sourceright. Paul and I discuss the future of services procurement, why this arena needs to be a part of the Future of Work discussion, and the takeaways from the new Reimagining Services Procurement research study.

Tune into Episode 702 of The Future of Work Exchange Podcast below, or subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher, or iHeartRadio.

The Business World of 2019 is Extinct

Business Leadership General Insights HR Talent by Christopher J. Dwyer on 08/16/2022

I’m sure many of the Future of Work Exchange’s readers remember the fantastic television series LOST. Sure, it floundered for a bit during the middle seasons, but in the long run, it was one of the most memorable TV shows of the past 20 years.

In the infamous Season Three finale, the directors of the show tossed in a “rattlesnake in the mailbox” twist ending: the famous flashbacks that were routine during every episode were, in fact, during this season finale, flashforwards to moments several members of the cast were off the island and back home. Remember when Jack met Kate in a dark parking lot and screamed, “We have to go back!”?

Well, that’s what it sounds like every time a business leader, writer, pundit, etc. insists that pandemic-era organizational attributes are either going to fade or lose their steam in the months ahead. There was the “very bad take” on remote work from Malcolm Gladwell last week. CNN recently featured a piece from SHRM CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. that featured a take on why remote work will dissipate:

Though seen as a necessity during the pandemic, some business leaders doubt the current level of remote work is sustainable. And they’re right. A fully virtual workplace misses some of the key drivers for performance, productivity and growth, which are top of mind right now for businesses facing the prospect of a potential recession. Understandably, they want workers back in the office because they’re preparing for an ultra-competitive environment, which calls for maximizing efficiency. Fully remote work doesn’t cultivate the level of interpersonal relationships that business leaders see as vital to workplace synergy, collaboration and innovation. It can’t replicate the rich, robust, direct two-way, in-person communication that is critical to complex and creative work.

When companies are responding to market shifts and economic stresses, new ideas, problem solving and brainstorming all become essential. And brainstorming sessions are much easier to conduct in person, where workers can hash out their ideas on collaboration boards in conference rooms or shared workspaces. Remote workers, meanwhile, are more prone to distractions at home that can inhibit their concentration and participation.

Taylor, like many others, speaks from a pro-business perspective. And…that’s okay. It really is. This is a discerning time for the corporate world: still in the throes of a pandemic, inflation still rampant, and the specter of recession lingering overhead. Some businesses have already ignited layoffs in fear of the recession’s impact. Others have tightened budgets and have begun forecasting what their revenue, finances, and expenses will look like in the months to come if a recession truly hits. So, it’s no wonder that many executives point to the coming months as some sort of gateway to the past, particularly those fond days before a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic brought unrivaled havoc to the world at large.

It’s become a common refrain for professionals to say the phrase “getting back to normal” when it comes to the way businesses operate. However, as we’ve learned time and time again, we’re not going back. Never. While many executive leaders have realized that the transformative shifts we’ve experienced are permanent, there are unfortunately many others who have not. One aspect that Taylor, Jr. evokes in his piece for CNN revolves around the concept of flexibility: “The flexibility we embraced during the pandemic should go both ways. Workers will need to bend a bit, especially when the viability of the workplace is in jeopardy.”

The viability of the workplace is not in jeopardy. The workforce itself is in jeopardy. We can all agree that The Great Resignation wasn’t going to last forever, however the millions of quits happening so frequently (even if they slow during these late summer weeks) prove that workers will never go back to a business arena that lacked remote work, better working conditions, and access to the flexibility that has allowed them to balance their work-life integration in such a way that both their personal and professional lives are purposeful.

The great war for talent will still rage on no matter the economic conditions of our business world. In 2019, remote work was a piece of corporate life. In 2022, it’s a permanent and foundational fixture. When we hear someone say “we have to go back!” in regards to dining at restaurants or attending concerts, yes, by all means, it would be great to get to that point as COVID becomes endemic. However, when we hear that same phrase in regards to business life, it’s an unfortunate desire to go back to a world that no longer exists (for many good reasons).

No, we don’t have to go back. We need to keep progressing forward. It’s the Future of Work, after all.

Malcolm Gladwell and the Very Bad Remote Work Take

Business Leadership by Christopher J. Dwyer on 08/09/2022

Quick question for you: if you’re working on something critical for organization from your home office, do you think it matters if you’re wearing pajamas or loungewear rather than traditional office attire?

Well, of course not. But Malcolm Gladwell does. Here’s some of his commentary on the Diary of a CEO podcast (and as transcribed by The New York Post):

“It’s not in your best interest to work at home,” he said. “I know it’s a hassle to come into the office, but if you’re just sitting in your pajamas in your bedroom, is that the work life you want to live?”

“Don’t you want to feel part of something?” I’m really getting very frustrated with the inability of people in positions of leadership to explain this effectively to their employees.”

“If we don’t feel like we’re part of something important, what’s the point?” he said. “If it’s just a paycheck, then it’s like what have you reduced your life to?”

Let’s get this out of the way first: Gladwell has been a huge success in the world of innovative business thinking. He’s a trendsetter, a unique thinker, and a talented writer. To be very clear, he also has multiple known and proven conflicts that show his many of opinions may be less genuine than his writing suggests.

When it comes to the viability of remote work, he’s also a hypocrite who has spent 10,000 hours working from home (from a 2005 feature at The Guardian):

By leaving his desk behind, Malcolm says that he’s been able to disassociate writing from work. “It seems like a fun activity now. Kind of casual. It’s been more seamlessly integrated into my life and that’s made it much more pleasurable. I never want to be at a desk again.”

And, also from that feature:

Malcolm says: “I hate desks. Desks are now banished.” He starts the day writing at home, but this is always done from his sofa, using his laptop. “I work better when I’m comfortable,” he says. After a stint on the sofa, it’s out into the world.

I’ve been an admirer of most of Malcolm Gladwell’s work over the past 20 years. He has long been considered a visionary, someone who can look beyond the limitations of business thinking and provide value and innovation to leaders who want their organizations to thrive.

Last week’s take on remote work, to be brutally honest, is Gladwell being a contrarian (or propagandist – see below). By saying “It’s not in your best interest to work from home,” he is literally telling his millions of followers that a critical attribute of their work-life integration over the past two-and-a-half years is not the ideal way to work and operate. And, on top of that, as the workforce continues to traverse even more into the realm of humanity, Gladwell is opposed to talented professionals working in an environment that has proven to improve productivity, enhance talent retention, and increase company revenue. (Note: he says he works better when he’s comfortable,, but just re-read his recent quotes from last week at the top of this article.)

Gladwell says that he believes that not working in an office means we’re not “part of something important.” How can anyone, let alone someone that was once a business visionary, publicly state that working from a home office, no matter the rigor or the hours or the effort or the productivity or the late nights or the weekends spent on a laptop, means there’s nothing important that they’re linked to?

The stubborn frame of mind spouted by Gladwell is the literal antithesis of the Future of Work movement. The Future of Work is based on agility, humanity, flexibility, and purpose. Remote work (and hybrid workspaces) promote every one of those aspects.

Gladwell links home office attire (particularly pajamas) to “work life.” How many of you reading this right now have put together tremendously successful projects while in leggings or sweatpants? How many of you have developed innovative solutions, services, or products late at night while wearing a hoodie and shorts? Is there a cat on your lap when you take a video call?

I wrote most of the recent VMS Technology Advisor, a highly-complex project with thousands of data points and insights, in Under Armor shorts and various mono-colored t-shirts from the Gap. Many of the articles on this site were written in that type of attire. I’ve delivered many presentations on video and no one would know that, while I seemed to be wearing a dress shirt, there were athletic shorts below the camera. Even over video conferences, we can see each other’s faces and feel emotion. We can smile and laugh along with jokes together even if we’re hundreds of miles away from each other.

And, finally, regarding the notion of “being part of something”: I and so many others are already part of something. I’m part of a team of individuals whose talent is outstanding (hi, Ardent Partners family!). I’m part of an industry with so many individuals that I can call friends…most of which I haven’t seen in years in-person yet the distance doesn’t affect our fondness and connections. I am a part of a family with an amazing wife and two kids under 10 years old, who I have the ability to walk to the bus stop, cook dinner, help with homework, and read books.

Honestly, it is no surprise that Gladwell, the well-known author (and lesser known tobacco industry propagandist and longtime cigarette apologist) is pandering to the anti-remote work community. One question worth asking is whether or not he is being compensated (by, say, pension funds and other investors in corporate real estate?) for his contrarian’s take on a core Future of Work attribute? (After all, no less than Adweek once asked, “Was Malcolm Gladwell in the Pocket of Big Tobacco?“) It is absurd to think that Gladwell is being genuine here. He’s been wrong on tobacco, and now, he’s wrong on remote work.

Either way, he is criticizing an accelerant that has literally transformed the way we work, connect, collaborate, etc. And, clearly, the analysis behind his take does not account for the millions of workers across the globe that have experienced a newfound sense of flexibility within their lives that they have never felt before, allowing them to spend more time with family and friends, attend important events that they would have otherwise missed because of awful commutes, and, of course, the malleable schedules that have enabled them to optimize they way they work and live.

It’s in their best interests to work from home, after all.

Defining the VMS Technology Market: New Future of Work Exchange Research Study Now Available

Contingent Workforce Solution Providers Technology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on 08/04/2022

Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange have long been preeminent sources of analysis of the extended workforce industry and its associated technologies and solutions. With the introduction of our Technology Advisor (and Solution Advisor) series several years ago, the analyst team has been able to assist thousands of business leaders with the necessary information, insights, and intelligence as they traverse the complex solutions landscape within procurement and spend management, procure-to-pay, contingent and extended workforce management, direct sourcing, and digital staffing.

Today, we announce the publication of the much-anticipated VMS Technology Advisor, a report that assesses and evaluates 11 of the major Vendor Management System platforms that are currently helping organizations around the globe automate key extended workforce management processes, provide access to talent intelligence, and reinforce contingent workforce spend management.

The 2022 VMS Technology Advisor deep-dives into each provider’s strengths within requisition management, services procurement, SOW management, analytics and intelligence, direct sourcing, Future of Work readiness, total talent acquisition, total workforce management, global capabilities, and other key attributes inherent in today’s leading VMS platforms.

The Future of Work Exchange Podcast, Episode 701 (SEASON PREMIERE): A Conversation with Jen Torney (Talent Solutions TAPFIN) and Brian Hoffmeyer (Beeline)

Podcast by Christopher J. Dwyer on 08/03/2022

The Season Seven premiere of the Future of Work Exchange Podcast, sponsored by Beeline, features an in-depth, Future of Work-oriented discussion with Jen Torney, VP of Client Engagement at Talent Solutions TAPFIN, and Brian Hoffmeyer, SVP of Market Strategies at Beeline. Jen, Brian, and I chat about the evolution of the extended workforce, the impact of direct sourcing, the realm of conscious leadership, and what 2023 may hold for the world of talent and work.

Tune into Episode 701 of The Future of Work Exchange Podcast below, or subscribe on Apple Music, Spotify, Stitcher, or iHeartRadio.

The Rules of Wellness Have Changed

Business Leadership HR by Christopher J. Dwyer on 08/01/2022

The Future of Work movement thrives on many accelerants that range from advancements in talent acquisition to innovative tools and technology. However, the realm of humanity, wellness, and culture may be the most critical items in how work continues to evolve.

“Wellness” is often thrown around as a word that reflects healthy corporate “behavior” from the perspective(s) of the workforce (including extended talent), owed to a rise in business leadership’s greater understanding of empathy, inclusivity, and other aspects related to a better workplace. As the story goes, happier employees = more productive (and, hopefully, loyal) workers.

Although the Future of Work Exchange typically discusses how rigidity is the “anti-Future of Work” mindset, something as archaic as a desire for a business’ staff to be productive is absolutely one of those measures that is not bound by time or circumstance. That is, it’s always understandable that an executive remains focused on productivity; without this focus, the enterprise fails.

So why do we need to revisit wellness? Didn’t we just talk about this recently? Well, yes, we did. But that was nearly eight months ago, and, in a pandemic-led, economically-volatile, frenetic labor market-fueled world (both business and personal), the stakes have certainly changed.

A second straight quarter of the U.S. economic shrinking technically means that we’re entering a recession…even though it doesn’t necessarily feel like it. However, many organizations are already taking the steps to prepare for the worst, which means cut to the workforce and the linger specter of layoffs through the remainder of 2022.

And, oh yeah, there’s a still pandemic raging, along with a health emergency for monkeypox. Many, many individuals (as much as 2% or 3% of the total workforce, although that number could be lower or higher) could be suffering from “Long COVID” from past coronavirus infections, with the government still not defining how long-haulers can apply for and receive disability options.

These issues not only mean that wellness in the workplace becomes more important; it also translate into the need to reimagine how business leadership addresses and supports wellness in the wake of an evolving world:

Today’s “new” wellness rules should always, always include engagement and experience in the mix. Wellness is more than an employee or worker being physically healthy and appearing to be mentally fit for their role. Leaders must ensure that they expand how they support both physical and mental wellness during whichever turbulent times may lie ahead; whatever worked even during the worst of the pandemic may already be outdated. In nearly three years of consistent business evolution, the very concept of “wellness” has been transformed to include concepts like employee engagement and the talent experience. The total workforce should be engaged with leadership and their teams and coworkers, grounded in a positive workplace experience, and also feel appreciated, safe, and valued. The next generation of wellness strategies should always include engagement and experience as foundational elements.
Even the most stoic of performers may have something deeper happening in their personal lives; thus, there is no one-size-fits-all model that will “catch” those that require intermediation. Dips in productivity, a lack of communication, and poor collaboration are all markers of a worker suffering from something negative. These individuals are most often pointed to as the main recipients of wellness support; however, there are many workers that put on a happy face, remain incredibly productive, and seem to have it all together. These workers may not need support on the surface, however, there’s usually an undercurrent of burnout bubbling somewhere. Business leaders should arm themselves with the necessary attitude and knowledge in understanding what the warning signs are for employee burnout.
The hybrid workplace requires hybrid leadership…which now requires a more strategic mindset. During the spring and summer of 2020, many business leaders grappled with the complexities of managing a newly-remote workforce in the wake of social distancing, quarantining, etc. Video calls and new modes of leadership were straining, leaving these already-exhausted leaders confounded in how to capture the essence of collaboration without the benefit of in-person operations. Today, the issue has become more severe: onboarding workers can be a nightmare via remote methods, not to mention aspects of reskilling, upskilling, mentoring, etc. Business leaders cannot spend a few hours with a new worker and expect them to function productively while on auto-pilot.
Wellness was the answer all along to a problem that has plagued the business arena for nearly 16 months. Yes, we’re talking about The Great Resignation. Although the numbers dipped in May (4.3 million quits as opposed to 4.4 million the month before), an encouraging trend is emerging: fears of a recession, combined with inflation, may be helping to keep workers put. However, all it takes is a small wiggle upwards and we’re back to the much worse, higher trend. The refrain of “happier workers stay with their companies” could not be more true today. If a professional is engaged, satisfied, and having a positive experience while also working for leaders that are mindful, empathetic, and inclusive, it reflects an ideal recipe for wellness that also bodes well for retention. If workers have a flexible work-life integration, it is a powerful attribute that enables true wellness and wellbeing.